Is this poetry?

[karmadog]

What do the Lit poetry gurus think of this? It reminds me more of some of the surrealist prose that I've read.

http://www.pshares.org/issues/article.cfm?prmarticleID=7438

 

[JUDO]

I wouldn't put a name to it, KD. It seems fairly non-sensical to me.

 

[WickedEve]

It was too much of too much, and it was too much of that!

 

[Lauren Hynde]

Actually, I've been searching the web for links of this nature for a week now... I think this one is just silly, but I'll post a new thread with what I came up with soon.

(I'm not a guru yet, like Judo and Eve, but I just got really really experienced, for what it's worth... which isn't much)

 

[JUDO]

Guru-Schmuru, L. It just means we gab a lot.

 

[karmadog]

For the record, I found this piece both poetic and profound. I believe Mr Hayes had a lot to say and I believe he said it well. My question was, "Is it poetry?"

Not whether you liked it or got it, but is it poetry?

To me, as a student of literature, that is an important question.

Eve, JUDO, Lauren I'm a little disappointed in your answers. They don't feel well thought out. Not that I have a right to your intellection, but still, I'm asking a serious question.

Senna Jawa? Unmasked Poet? Daughter? Where are you?

 

[Lauren Hynde]

Karmadog:

I'm sorry. You are right, as far as I am concerned, I didn't really paid attention to it nor did I think carefully about your question and just went decided to tag along the lines of what the older and wiser Judo and Eve said. For that I'm sorry and I promise it won't happen again.

I actually checked the dictionary and the definition of poetry I found is: the art of writing in verse; literary work expressed in verse; [fig.] harmony, inspiration, elevation of ideas, caracter of the thing that awakes the sense of beauty. it derives from the greek word for action of doing something.

I guess the concept is pretty much up for grabs, anything can be poetry, depending on the way you aproach it. Seriously, I re-read mr. Hayes piece again this morning and I could sense the inspiration and elevation of ideas bits and, more importantly, I felt a message as being conveyed, which is more than I could say for some main stream so called poetry I've been reading in the last week.

I'll get back to this, this theme is very important to me, for I found myself having more fun writting Tele-Parabolized Hyperkarma than any of my previous more convencional looking poems. I said poems, mind you.

 

[WickedEve]

KD, I read it last night, and I couldn't really concentrate on it. It seemed to run on and on. To me, it was a short story, possibly prose poetry. I'm not sure. I thought there were many interesting images in it. I just thought it was too much. I felt like the writer was trying to squeeze every bizarre description that came to mind into one "poem."

 

[WickedEve]

Lauren

Don't go along with what I say. I may be older than you, but wisdom doesn't necessarily come with age.
And I think you know more about poetry than I do.

 

[JUDO]

Felt the same way when I read it originally, WE.

KD, my original post stands. I believe the piece is so close to being something exactly between prose and poetry that it's state becomes so very subjective (and a matter of opinion) that it wasn't really worth trying to define it.

More clear?


- Judo

 

[daughter]

prose poetry

KD--

I read so little in this form, but I see it as prose poetry and such form is respected. What I have read from critics is that is rarely done well. I liken it to the classic epic form in so much that it tells a tale with considerable detail though still far more condensed than prose. I believe epics also have strict meter though I am not sure. I'll have to check.

The journal that published this is a respected venue. It was recommended to me by fellow writer. The author is also learned so while the text doesn't resonate with me, the construction is familiar.

Yes, it's poetry. Do want to discuss if it's good or if we like it?

Peace,

daughter

 

[UnmaskedPoet]

PPPoetry

This is not poetry! A mere collection of words put together with the consumate skill of the famous poker playing dog. I see he has learned to type as well as paint. Perhaps this is available in velvet?

UP(Made you Look)

 

[daughter]

ROTFLMBAO

UP or not UP? Never mind the question.

d

 

[UnmaskedPoet]

His evil twin

I am UP! It took hours of surgery to have that board removed!
But now that its gone I miss it!

 

[karmadog]

prose poetry?

What constitues prose poetry?
How can it be differentiated from just prose?

D, I was curious as to whether anyone but snobs at literary journals considered that style to be poetry. I had read another example of this kind of thing at the same site, although this one is much better I think, and I wondered.

I wasn't really asking if anyone liked it or not. For what it's worth, I did like it.

Now I am kind of curious. Here is another one by the same author, a little more traditional in form. Which do you like better? Why? Is the form more comforting? Certainly the subject matter is not.

http://www.pshares.org/issues/article.cfm?prmArticleID=7483

 

[Unmasked Poet]

Karmadog, both examples are poetry. The first I would classify as prose poetry. The second is not. There are no hard and fast rules other than taking a look at the construction.

The second is not better just written in a more traditional way.
The first was fractured and uncomfortable in its use of poetic devices. He clearly has a command over them but failed to integrate them fully within the text.

At least that's what I think.

U.P.

 

[Lauren Hynde]

I'm going to ruin a week of preparation of a perfectly good thread with this, but...

U.P.:

Q: "What constitues prose poetry?
How can it be differentiated from just prose?"

A: "There are no hard and fast rules other than taking a look at the construction."

Enlighten us.

 

[Unmasked Poet]

Lauren, as you know the devices and construction of poetry differ greatly from that of prose. Poetry throws so much of the restrictions of good prose writing out of the window.

Notice the use of abstractions in the text. The often hurriedly broken lines (enjambment). The modified use of refrain and metaphor dropped in as visions or dreams or remembrances. Disassemble the part which waxes poetically, string those together. The prose in this case acts as frame, a bridge between flights. It is too obvious and clumsy. Not to say it is not interesting or that the writer does not have talent. He has chosen a difficult task and has done okay with it.

U.P.

 

[Lauren Hynde]

U.P.

Can I ask you to see my latest piece and tell me if this has any kind of resemblence with prose poetry or is it just prose with a twist? I'm not sure what it is, but I liked doing it and want to pursuit this.

Tele-Parabolized Hyperkarma

Thanks.

 

[Unmasked Poet]

Lauren, I will take a look at it and offer my opinions. Do not take them too seriously. I will send you my thoughts via pm

U.P.

 

[Senna Jawa]

What do the Lit poetry gurus think of this? It reminds me more of some of the surrealist prose that I've read.

http://www.pshares.org/issues/article.cfm?prmarticleID=7438

Your q. is not only about the given piece per se but also about the scope of the notion of poetry. Tha latter is different to different people. To me "Gospel of the Two Sisters" has poetic elements, possibly is simply a poetic piece but it's not poetry, it's not a poem. BTW, the author was certainly laughing his head off when writing it. His one idea, not necessarily the main one, had to be something of a pastiche of something, parody of someone's style. (It's just my guess, that's how it looks to me).

Best regards,

 

[daughter]

A good case for prose poetry

Lauren--

You may want to check out Carolyn Forshe's work(Cool example is in Language of Life edited by Bill Moyers) and Mary Oliver has a collection of prose poetry that I enjoy. If you like nature poems, you might appreciate Ms. Oliver's collection, White Pines

Prose's construction and lack of meter are two obvious differences. There are devices that we recognize more readily in each of these genres. A prose writer of literature gives considerable attention to character and plot development. A poet is keenly aware of imagery, rhythm and form. Just examples of differences.

I recommend investing in Edward Hirsch's book, How To Read A Poem and Fall In Love With Poetry. If you'd like a definitve guide on forms, check out Lewis Turco's, Book of Forms.

Hope this helps.

Peace,

daughter

 

[Lauren Hynde]

daughter:

Thank you, I'll sure look for the authors and pointed out. I can assure you, like I did others in these boards already, any teachings I can get will not go to waste.

Yesterday I was listening to a literature show on radio and the name Russell Edson was mentioned as a very good prose poet. One of his books was translated and published this week here in Portugal. I searched the web a bit and, although I didn't find much more, I did come up with these three poems I would like to share:

Sleep
Bread
The Goldilocks Compulsion